‘Golden’ From ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Lands Grammy Nomination for Song of the Year

The song "Golden," from the animated Netflix movie "KPop Demon Hunters," has achieved an extraordinary feat at the Grammys, securing nominations in three major categories: Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Best Song Written for Visual Media. The track is a collaboration between performers Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, with songwriting handled by Ejae and Mark Sonnenblick.

In the fiercely competitive Song of the Year field, "Golden" is pitted against major hits like Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra," the Kendrick Lamar and SZA duet "Luther," and Billie Eilish's "Wildflower." Its nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance also places it alongside powerful collaborations such as Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's "Defying Gravity" and the team-up of Rosé and Bruno Mars on "APT." This kind of recognition for a film soundtrack is a rarity. David Chen, an analyst at SoundScan Insights, observed, "For an animated film song to break into the Grammys' top tiers is almost unheard of; we haven't witnessed crossover success on this level since 'A Whole New World' from Disney's Aladdin dominated the awards season three decades ago."

The song's success is intrinsically linked to the record-shattering performance of its source material. "KPop Demon Hunters," which debuted on Netflix in June, quickly became the streaming giant's most-watched film of all time. Its soundtrack proved equally dominant, with three original songs—"Golden," "Your Idol," and "Soda Pop"—enjoying lengthy stays on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Netflix, a company known for its streaming-first model, was compelled by the film's massive popularity to organize special sing-along cinema events in August and October.

These limited theatrical runs delivered stunning box office results. The August event alone rocketed "KPop Demon Hunters" to the number one spot, earning a remarkable $18 million over a single weekend. A Halloween-themed encore later contributed an additional $5 to $6 million in revenue. This was a significant accomplishment, demonstrating that audience demand remained potent months after the film's initial streaming release—a clear testament to its enduring cultural impact. The film's ability to drive viewers back to cinemas challenges the conventional wisdom that a streaming debut immediately kills theatrical potential.

The Grammy nominations have since injected fresh energy into the entire "KPop Demon Hunters" phenomenon. Industry experts point out that such high-profile award recognition typically triggers a surge in soundtrack sales and can significantly prolong a song's chart life, thereby extending the project's commercial and cultural influence far beyond its initial launch window.